Supreme Court Rejects Officer's Appeal, Calls His Refusal to Participate in Temple Rituals 'Grossest Kind of Indiscipline'

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The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by former army officer Samuel Kamalesan, upholding his termination from the armed forces. The decision was made after Kamalesan refused to participate in regimental religious activities at a temple while on duty. The court described his actions as incompatible with military discipline and a betrayal of the trust placed in him as a leader. In a scathing verdict, the bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said Kamalesan's refusal to participate in the activities was not only against the rules but also showed a lack of respect for the soldiers under his command. The court noted that Kamalesan had been counselled by a local pastor, who told him that entering the temple would not violate his Christian faith. The court also pointed out that the Indian Army is known for its secular approach and that Kamalesan's actions had weakened unit cohesion, a critical requirement for operational effectiveness. The bench said that Kamalesan's conduct was 'grossest kind of indiscipline' and that he should have been thrown out of the army for this reason alone. Kamalesan had been commissioned into the 3rd Cavalry Regiment in 2017 and had been posted as the troop leader of the 'B' Squadron, which comprised Sikh personnel. He had claimed that he had accompanied troops to both the temple and the gurdwara for weekly religious parades but had refused to enter the sanctum during rituals, citing religious conscience. However, the court ruled that his actions were not justified and that he had failed to respect the sentiments of his soldiers.